Good morning.
Today is Friday,
March 12th,
2021.
Oh Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The three in one,
Creator,
Redeemer,
And sustainer.
As it was in the beginning is now and will be forever.
Amen.
Come let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord,
Our maker.
Remind yourself that you are in God's presence.
Notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself dwell on any word or phrase that catches your attention or moves your heart.
And let your heart simply respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we might see.
A reading today is taken from John 9,
Verses one through seven.
As Jesus walked along,
He saw someone who had been blind from birth.
The disciples asked Jesus,
Rabbi,
Was it this individual sin that caused the blindness or that of his parents?
Neither answered Jesus.
It wasn't because of anyone's sin,
Not this person or the parents.
Rather,
It was to let God's works shine forth in this person.
We must do the deeds of the one who sent me while it is still day for night is coming when no one can work.
While I am in the world,
I am the light of the world.
With that,
Jesus spat on the ground,
Made mud with his saliva and smeared the blind one's eyes with the mud.
Then Jesus said,
Go wash in the pool of Siloam.
Siloam means sent.
So the person went to wash off.
And came back able to see.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we might see.
Today,
We are going to pray for ourselves.
We're going to lift up our griefs and our gratitude before God in this space.
So in your mind's eye,
Picture yourself.
Being lifted up before God,
The God who made you,
The God who loves you.
Don't worry about diagnosing your needs or telling God what to do.
Just lift up your own heart.
The whole complicated mixed bag of who you are.
To receive the blessing of the creator.
We pray in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray.
Our Father in heaven,
Eternal God,
Earth maker,
Pain bearer,
Life giver.
Source of all that is and all that shall be.
Not only father,
But mother of us all.
May the Halloween of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on Earth.
With the bread we need for today,
Feed us in the hurts we absorb from one another.
Forgive us in times of temptation and test.
Strengthen us from trials too great to endure.
Spare us from the grip of all that is evil.
Free us for you reign in the glory of the power that is love now and forever.
Amen.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we may see.
Lead us to live according to your teaching and become your disciples.
That we may know the truth and be made free.
Amen.
And now my friends,
May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you today.
May he guide you through the wilderness,
Protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
Go in peace.
